This is sad. I spoke with Milt on the phone for a half hour about two weeks ago, reminiscing about his career and the industry during the '60s and '70s. I wanted to fly him to NY to take part in a video project I'm working on, but he had recently gotten out of the hospital and he told me he wasn't ready to travel. So I told him I would visit him with a crew out in Illinois this summer. He seemed to genuinely enjoy the call and recalling some events, so I'm happy for that. RIP to a great player and a principled leader.

Pappas was remembered for one of the 298 home runs he allowed -- Roger Maris’ 59th in 1961, when Maris surpassed Babe Ruth’s then-record 60 home runs by one.
Pappas said in 1998 that he told Commissioner Ford Frick he threw nothing but fastballs to Maris because he was upset that baseball was going to put an asterisk next to Maris’ record if he didn’t break Ruth’s record in 154 games.

Cardinals players wanted to call off the game, The Sporting News reported, but because they were the visitors they left the decision to the Reds.

Reds manager Dave Bristol urged his team to play. Pitcher Milt Pappas, the Reds’ player representative, disagreed. Pappas told Bristol most Reds players preferred not to play the game, the Associated Press reported. Bristol responded that if he could find nine players to take the field the Reds would play.

“If we go out (on the field to play), we all go out,” Pappas replied. “If we do go out, find yourself a new player representative.”

Pappas took a vote of Reds players on whether to play. The outcome was 12-12, with one abstaining, The Sporting News reported. A second vote was held. This time, the result was 13-12 in favor of playing.

Wrote The Sporting News: “Pappas lost a power struggle within the club when several players heeded the urgings of manager Dave Bristol to play the game.”

Pappas, telling the Associated Press his “days with the club are numbered,” resigned as player representative.